Two more tiger cubs spotted in Sariska

Good news continues to trickle out from Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar. Forest officials have reported spotting two more tiger cubs of tigress ST-10 on Friday. With these cubs, the total strength of tigers in Sariska now touched 13.

Two cubs, around 3-4 months old, of tigress ST-2, were spotted in Sariska on July 20 this year.

According to DFO, Sariska Tiger Reserve, Manoj Parasar, the cubs were caught by trap cameras in the reserve’s Bijapur area along with their mother around 4.30am on Friday.

ST-10 had made Bijapur area her territory for the past three months. The Sariska officials were already sure that she had given birth. However, they were waiting for the cubs to be caught on trap cameras. “We had stepped up security in this region and were eagerly waiting for the good news,” said the officer.

The forest officials claimed that there may be more good news in store as they believed another tigress ST-9 may have given birth to cubs. However, they are yet to be spotted.

So far, ST-2 is the only tigress that gave birth twice after the majestic cats were relocated to Sariska in 2008.However, the cubs of ST-10 are not only a great news for wildlife lovers in Rajasthan but also highlights the future potential of the reserve where tiger population was once wiped out due to poaching and other problems. Six cubs were born since tiger relocation to Sariska began in 2008.

Eight tigers were relocated, of them one was allegedly poached by villagers in November, 2010. The officials are hopeful that the current scenario would boost tourism and would prove a great help for the area’s economic development. (Economic Times)